2021 COVID-19 MIPS Relief Now Available

For the 2021 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) performance year, CMS will once again use its Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Policy to allow clinicians, groups and Alternative Payment Model (APM) entities to submit an application requesting reweighting of MIPS performance categories due to the current COVID-19 public health emergency. CMS recently posted instructions for submitting this application on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website. The Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception Application deadline for performance year 2021 is Dec. 31.

On April 13, the AANS and the CNS sent a letter thanking CMS for providing much-needed relief for physicians in MIPS by establishing an automatic and flexible Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Hardship Exemption policy for the 2020 MIPS performance year due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The letter urges additional action to provide greater transparency in MIPS and asks that CMS release the 2018, 2019 and 2020 MIPS cost measures benchmarks and make cost measure benchmarks and patient attribution information available on a rolling, real-time basis during the 2021 performance year and thereafter.

Click here for more information about these flexibilities.